Quebec: where the language of your marketing is part of the fix

The Quebec market and its buyers

Answer first: Montréal and its suburbs hold most of the demand, and customers there expect to be served in French.

Montréal, Québec City, Laval, Gatineau, Longueuil, Sherbrooke, Lévis and Saguenay are the main markets. Gatineau is a special case: it sits across the river from Ottawa, so some businesses serve both provinces and need marketing that works under both sets of rules.

Electric heat dominates. In 2023, Statistics Canada found 70% of Quebec households relied mainly on electricity for heat, with natural gas at 5% and wood at 4%. Heat pump, electrical and insulation work is therefore a large part of demand, and Hydro-Québec programs shape it.

Language rules and why they belong in the fix

Answer first: Quebec's language law, as updated by Bill 96, puts French first in commercial advertising, and a website or social account aimed at Quebec buyers needs a French version.

That affects every fix:

• Not enough leads: a business with English-only pages and an English-only Google profile is invisible to many searchers and may be out of step with the rules.
• Bad leads: poorly translated pages confuse customers about what you do and where.
• No reviews: review requests should go out in the customer's language.
• No time: French content is extra work, which is one more reason to hand it off.

A newer rule, in force from June 1, 2025, adds French wording next to any non-French trademark or business name that people can see from outside your premises. The OQLF's guidance for businesses is the place to check your situation. We plan around these rules; we don't give legal advice on them.

Regulators worth knowing

Answer first: in Quebec, the RBQ licence is central, and customers are encouraged to check it.

• The Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) licenses contractors. Anyone carrying out construction work for others generally needs an RBQ licence with the right subclasses, as its licence page explains.
• The CCQ handles competency certification for construction-industry workers.
• CNESST covers workplace health and safety, and the OPC covers consumer protection.

Showing your RBQ licence number where it applies is a strong trust signal; the requirements are a question for the RBQ.

Programs that shape demand, as of October 2026

Answer first: Hydro-Québec's LogisVert is the main program driving heat pump enquiries, and Rénoclimat changed recently.

• LogisVert offers grants for ENERGY STAR heat pumps, with higher amounts for cold-climate units, up to $6,700, plus other measures. Hydro-Québec says requests are being processed normally despite the federal rebate expected in 2027.
• Rénoclimat works differently from October 1, 2026. Homeowners can skip the evaluation before the work, and the aid limits have been reset, so older explanations on your site are probably out of date.
• Chauffez vert stopped accepting applications after March 31, 2026, so any marketing that still mentions it should come down.

Confirm terms with the administrators before using them.

A Quebec example: the bilingual landing page trap

Answer first: one page trying to serve two languages usually serves neither well.

A Laval business that runs French ads pointing to an English page, or a page that mixes both, loses many callers at the landing step. Separate French pages, with French reviews quoted where possible and a French phone greeting, keep the experience consistent from ad to call. This is an illustration, not a specific case.

How we would approach the four problems in Quebec

Answer first: start with French-first pages and profiles, then reviews, then targeted ads.

1. Build French-first service pages and a French Google profile for each area served.
2. Remove outdated program claims, such as Chauffez vert.
3. Run the review routine in French, with consent wording in French.
4. Measure by source with the lead quality scorecard.

See all areas or the results page for our HVAC work.